Following a nearly four-hour preliminary examination today, Monday, 90th District Court Judge Richard May bound an Onaway man over to 57th Circuit Court on four counts of negligent homicide. Daniel William Nessel, 22, is the man police allege caused an accident on Aug. 20, 2009, which claimed the lives of four Gaylord men -- Daniel Firman, 25, the driver of a Ford F-350 pick-up truck; and his passengers, Aaron Hunley, 16; Christian Hunley, 17; and Andrew Erickson, 17. According to an affidavit in district court, the accident, which involved four vehicles, occurred at 4:20 p.m. on Aug. 20 along U.S. 31, just east of Lake Grove Road.

CHARLEVOIX - A Charlevoix County teenager has been charged with negligent homicide in connection with a traffic crash that took the life of a Harbor Springs resident earlier this month. Charlevoix County Prosecutor John Jarema said on Thursday he authorized the charge against the 16-year-old boy, who he did not identify because of his age. But, the Michigan State Police report on the crash identified the boy as Damon Robinson of Vanderbilt. The charge normally carries a maximum penalty of up to two years in prison, but because Damon is being charged as a juvenile he could face up to three years secure detention or other lesser sanctions such as less-restrictive forms of detention and probation.

CHARLEVOIX ? A Charlevoix County teenager accused of causing a traffic crash that claimed the life of an Emmet County man and caused serious injuries to the man?s wife and son was tried Friday on a charge of negligent homicide. A decision in the case against Damon Lloyd Robinson, 17, of Vanderbilt was not yet reached before press time Friday. The charge stems from a July 13 traffic crash in Otsego County on Old 27 near Thumb Lake Road that claimed the life of Randall C. Saddison, 57, of Harbor Springs.

LIVINGSTON TWP. ? District Court Judge Patricia Morse ordered Geraldine Norton to surrender her driver?s license and not drive a vehicle for one year at her sentencing today (July 26) on a charge of attempted negligent homicide. The 77-year-old Gaylord woman, who pleaded no contest last month to the charge, could have received up to one year in jail for the May 12 death of motorcyclist Ryan Kehoe, 24, of Gaylord. According to reports from the Gaylord City Police, Norton?s vehicle collided with Kehoe?

VANDERBILT - As the community of Vanderbilt dealt with the tragedy of the Jan. 24 fatal car crash which killed high school senior Matthew Whitman, residents now are dealing with the shock of learning Whitman's best friend, the driver of the vehicle, will be facing a charge of negligent homicide. Otsego County Sheriff Jim McBride said a warrant has been issued for 17-year-old Michael Lee Jones, charging him with negligent homicide in the death of his friend. McBride said Jones is expected to turn himself in at 9 a.m. Monday and is then scheduled for arraignment at 10 a.m. "It has sent a shock wave through the community," said Vanderbilt Area School Supt.

A judge on Monday ordered an Upper Peninsula man to stand trial on a charge of negligent homicide for his involvement in a fatal traffic crash near Alanson in August. Following a preliminary examination, 90th District Court Judge Richard W. May bound Steven Nelson, 21, of Ishpeming over to face trial on the charge which carries a maximum penalty of up to two years in prison. The charge stems from an Aug. 14 traffic crash that claimed the life of Peter Scripter, 47, of Alanson and caused serious injuries to his wife, Phyllis Scripter, 55. The crash happened at about 8 a.m. on U.S. 31 just north of Alanson.

An Upper Peninsula man has pleaded no-contest to a negligent homicide charge in connection with a fatal traffic crash near Alanson in August. Steven Nelson, 21, of Ishpeming pleaded no-contest to the charge, which carries a maximum penalty of up to two years in prison, as part of the plea agreement with the prosecutor's office. In exchange for his plea, the prosecutor's office will recommend Nelson be given no up-front jail time at the time of sentencing and agreed that it will not oppose a motion to have the conviction expunged from Nelson's record if he is eligible for such consideration in five years.

A jury has convicted a Pellston man on criminal charges stemming from a fatal traffic crash last year. At about 11 a.m. Friday, an Emmet County Circuit Court jury returned two guilty verdicts in the case against Mike William Ennik, 44. Ennik was facing one count each of felonious driving and negligent homicide stemming from a traffic crash that took place shortly after noon on May 12, 2004, on Pleasantview Road between Brutus Road and Stutsmanville Road....

PETOSKEY - Emmet County's 57th Circuit Court judge Charles Johnson imposed no further sanctions on an Onaway man, who caused a chain reaction crash in 2009 that resulted in the death of four Gaylord men, during his deferred sentencing hearing Monday. Last year, Johnson gave Daniel William Nessel, 24, who previously entered a guilty plea on four counts of negligent homicide in connection to the crash, delayed sentence probation for one year and ordered him to do 400 hours of community service work.

An Onaway man entered a guilty plea Friday to charges of negligent homicide relating to a 2009 traffic accident near Bay Harbor in which four Gaylord men died. Daniel William Nessel, 23, entered the plea in Emmet County Circuit Court on four counts of negligent homicide, a misdemeanor punishable by two years’ imprisonment and/or a fine of up to $2,000. Nessel’s case had been scheduled for trial in May, but county prosecutor James Linderman said his office had worked out terms for the guilty plea in recent weeks with Nessel’s defense attorney, Robert Engel.

An East Jordan man who had been a facing negligent homicide charge in connection with a fatal traffic crash in 2008 was acquitted by a 33rd Circuit Court jury following a three day trial earlier this month. The jury returned the not guilty verdict in the case against Zachary Charles Woodthorp, 25, on Jan. 13. The charges were issued in connection with an Nov. 5, 2008 traffic crash on Boyne City-East Jordan Road that claimed the life of James Richard Browe, 65. The charge is punishable by up to two years in prison.

PETOSKEY — A negligent homicide case against an Onaway man, who police allege caused an accident on Aug. 20, 2009, which claimed the lives of four Gaylord men, is headed to trial. The four-vehicle accident occurred at 4:20 p.m. along the US-31 corridor, just east of Lake Grove Road. Daniel William Nessel, 22, who was driving a black Dodge Avenger east on US-31 at the time, is alleged to have crossed the centerline striking a semitrailer, which then lost control and collided with a Ford pick-up driven by 25-year-old Daniel Firman of Gaylord.

A negligent homicide case against an Onaway man, who police allege caused an accident on Aug. 20, 2009, which claimed the lives of four Gaylord men, is headed to trial. The four-vehicle accident occurred at 4:20 p.m. along the U.S. 31 corridor, just east of Lake Grove Road. Daniel William Nessel, 22, who was driving a black Dodge Avenger east on U.S. 31 at the time, is alleged to have crossed the centerline striking a semi tractor trailer, which then lost control and collided with a Ford pick-up driven by 25-year-old Daniel Firman of Gaylord.

Following a nearly four-hour preliminary examination today, Monday, 90th District Court Judge Richard May bound an Onaway man over to 57th Circuit Court on four counts of negligent homicide. Daniel William Nessel, 22, is the man police allege caused an accident on Aug. 20, 2009, which claimed the lives of four Gaylord men -- Daniel Firman, 25, the driver of a Ford F-350 pick-up truck; and his passengers, Aaron Hunley, 16; Christian Hunley, 17; and Andrew Erickson, 17. According to an affidavit in district court, the accident, which involved four vehicles, occurred at 4:20 p.m. on Aug. 20 along U.S. 31, just east of Lake Grove Road.

CHARLEVOIX - Authorities have charged an East Jordan man with negligent homicide stemming from a crash that claimed the life of an Ellsworth resident last year. On Wednesday Charlevoix County Chief Assistant Prosecutor Shaynee Fanara authorized the charge against Zachary Charles Woodthorp, 23, in connection with a Nov. 5 traffic crash on Boyne City-East Jordan Road that claimed the life of James Richard Browe, 65 . The charge is punishable by up to two years in prison.

An Emmet County Circuit Court jury will likely decide today, Wednesday, if an Alanson-area man was criminally negligent when he continued to drive while blinded by the morning sun. Testimony and closing arguments in the negligent homicide trial of Stephen Harkleroad , 41, of Alanson wrapped up as the second day of the trial came to a close Tuesday. The jury began its deliberations at about 9 a.m. today. The charge stems from a traffic crash that took place shortly before 8 a.m. on Aug. 21 on Hathaway Road east of Mink Road.

The trial of an Alanson man charged with negligent homicide in connection with a traffic crash that claimed the life of a Harbor Springs bicyclist began today, Monday. Stephen Harkleroad, 40, could face up to two years in prison if the jury convicts him on the charge which stems from an Aug. 21 pickup truck-bicycle crash that resulted in the death of the bicyclist, Fred Knoodle, 68, of Harbor Springs . Police said the crash happened at about 8 a.m. when Harkleroad was driving his pickup truck east on Hathaway Road near Kipp Road and struck Knoodle as Knoodle was riding his bicycle in the same direction along the edge of the road.

The case against an Alanson man charged with negligent homicide in connection with a truck-bicycle crash that killed a Harbor Springs man in August has been bound over to circuit court. Following a preliminary examination Wednesday, 90th District Court Judge Richard W. May bound over the case against Stephen Harkleroad, 40, of Alanson. If convicted on the charge, Harkleroad could face up to two years in prison. The charge stems from an Aug. 21 car-bicycle crash that resulted in the death of the bicyclist, Fred Knoodle, 68 of Harbor Springs.